News
104 Days ago
a note from Ron
 Good morning Kyoshi.
I just wanted to let you know that last night in class, both Sensei Jason and Sensei T allowed me to address their students about my experiences at the Qualifier. I didn"t divulge any specifics about the day, for I know each and every Qualifier is different year in and year out, and that you prefer everyone experience it in their own way.
But here is the gist of what I told them...
I told them that I was mistaken in my belief that the Qualifier was a single day"s event on one Sunday in May. I told them that I believe it is more than coincidental that the test is six hours long. I said, to me the six hours was symbolic of the six, one-hour tests we have been taking all along...Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown, and Red Belt exams. So as far as curriculum is concerned, we"ve already been tested on everything we saw at the Qualifier. There were no surprises or tricks in that regard. The difference, I said, was the conditioning and the Rope and the Mile. I told them what you told us pre-candidates about the natural laws, how we couldn"t fake climbing the rope or running the mile in under eight minutes. I mentioned what you said about not having our own versions of push-ups or pull-ups or dips.
The point I was trying to make to them was that the 2010 Qualifier is now history. That the only Qualifier out there now is the 2011 Qualifier, their Qualifier. I told them that the minute you awarded us our Red/Black belts, it immediately became their turn. I reiterated that the Qualification exam is not a single day"s event on one Sunday in May. That it starts for them NOW, and that you are watching.
I told them to start with their running very soon, that there is no reason, in fact it is unwise, to wait until 2011. I said that even though they are advanced students, they"re not advance enough to forsake their basic four count kicks (Mr. Robert once told me that he still practices his basic four count kicks). I advised them to practice whenever possible because two, forty-five minute classes a week were not designed as an end all.
I said that I am not exclusively a member of Team 2010. I am a member of TKC first and foremost, always have been, always will be. And if any of them want to join us at Pierce College on Sunday mornings, they were more than welcome to.
Then I mentioned to them what I thought was one of the most important parts of my speech. And that was the importance you place on journaling.
Nobody knows more than I the importance of journaling. Here is how I know this...You and I have never sat down and had a one on one, in depth conversation in the two and a half years I have been a member of TKC, we haven"t had the need to. Yet I feel we know each other fairly well through the things we share in this media. I know what I know about you from your writings, and you know what you know about me from my journals. Example; I never told you that I was afraid of sparring, but I journaled about it. You read it and took that knowledge to came up with a game plan to help me. Out of forty-plus students to choose from the other night, you picked me to spar with you. I"m guessing the theory being, that if I can spar and survive with you, then I could spar with and survive with anybody in our school (or at least have the confidence to). Another time I journaled how I thought I wasn"t a very good kicker and that I didn"t think I ever would be. Yet again, you chose me out of forty-some students to demonstrate with you, the low sweep, leg kick, the kick to the ribs and the head kick. And to tell you the truth, I felt pretty damn good about how I did. I know now that part of your mastery Sir is not just that of a Master Martial Artist, but as a master motivator as well. And I am grateful for the faith you show in me. (this was not a part of my talk with the students)
 In conclusion, my speech last night (and I hope you don"t think I spoke out of turn) was about me sharing my first hand experience about my Qualifier and the preparation it takes to make it as great a day for them as it was for me. That starting now is the first step to that end.
P.S. Speaking of motivation, one of the most motivational tools you have developed in my opinion, has been the creation of the Black Belt Club. It allows ordinary students the chance to train with some of the most extraordinary instructors this industry has to offer. I have friends and co-workers who are Martial Artists that can"t believe some of the famous instructors I"ve taken classes with. Thing is, I"ve got the pictures to prove it! (Sensei Benny and Sensei Richard Norton)
Thank you Sir.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Ron
Ron Cromar
TKC Black Belt Candidate
and SWAT Instructor
5/28/2010 4:56:48 PM
Ron is and always has been a class act. His modesty and passion become fine tools for motivation to the rest of us - regardless of rank.
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5/28/2010 9:32:07 PM
Way to go, Ron. You continue to write a lot.....but you say even more. I have always loved how you share your insights into each Mat experience, and are able to put into words the meaning behind what we do. Sometimes with humor, but always with a sensitivity for what is happening. Keep it up!
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6/1/2010 1:16:21 PM
I love that!!!
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